Screams ripped across the pink and orange sky as three figures soared over the twisted branches of the canopy. Gnarly yelled, flailing while he flipped through the air until gravity reversed, his stomach dropped, and the rest of him followed as he plummeted into the dark forest.
"We were foraging earlier than usual, hoping the monster was still asleep."
Leaves slapped the echidna's face and he grunted and hissed as branches jabbed his sides.
"But she was up and wasn't in a good mood."
The foliage vanished. Gnarly's eyes popped open to see a field of black thorns below. He gasped, throwing out his arms. His hand closed around a vine and his shoulder nearly jerked out of its socket. Yet he gritted his teeth and held on tight as he swung inches over the spikes.
He dropped down on a marshy cliff, feet splashing in the mud. Gnarly sighed in relief and wiped the sweat from his brow as he straightened up. He froze.
"Huh?"
Under a giant weeping tree, two tails lay curled around a little body.
"Mangey? What are you doing out…"
He trailed off. The fox was still—too still.
Gnarly's expression grew concerned and he stepped forward. "Hey, Mangey?"
The fox didn't reply and Gnarly edged closer. He stopped, inhaling sharply. Blood coated Mangey's muzzle, his eyes screwed shut, leaf belt missing, and sweat drenching his brow.
A wheezing breath shuddered throughout Mangey's body as alarm lit across Gnarly's face. "Mangey!"
He rushed to the fox and crouched down. Yet his hands hovered over his body, the echidna unsure where Mangey was hurt or what could have hurt him. Did the fox have a bad fall? Or did Outsiders attack him? Maybe—
Gnarly tensed. The monster didn't—wouldn't hurt Mangey… Would she?
His violet eyes shifted uneasily, but he shook off the feeling and grabbed the kit's shoulder.
"Mangey?" He shook the fox. "Hey, wake up!"
An exhale crackled out of Mangey's throat before his muzzle closed and…Mangey stopped. His chest stopped, his breathing stopped, and he went very still.
A coldness fell over Gnarly.
"Mangey?"
The only response was the wind howling through the leaves.
"I should have told you." Gnarly's gaze fell on the platform, his eyes squeezing close. "But I couldn't. I just couldn't."
Prim's eyes glinted, and she turned away, slyly wiping her face while Hangry's expression broke.
"We—" Prim swallowed, composing herself before she faced Gnarly. "We understand."
"Y-yeah," Hangry said, sob strangling his voice. "It wasn't your fault that Mangey—"
His voice cracked. Prim and Gnarly sent him sympathetic looks as the cat sniffled, mouth wobbling. The echidna reached up and gently patted Hangry's back while Prim tightened her grip on Gnarly's shoulder.
Tails frowned. They really cared about each other and must have cared about Mangey as the fox had for them.
Tails turned to the platform edge. "Looks like I found what I was looking for."
He glanced up. Wispy clouds streaked the bright blue sky. His eyes narrowed.
"But it's strange, isn't it?"
Tails sensed the trio eyeing him before Hangry asked, "What's strange?"
"That he didn't mention the rain."
Prim stiffened and Gnarly froze.
"This is a rainforest." Tails waved at the sky. "And since it's currently the drier season, it must have been the rainy season when you found Mangey." His expression turned thoughtful. "That also explains how Blur lost him. The rain would have made it hard to smell, hear, or see Mangey."
Prim scowled, tossing up her hand. "So what if he forgot to mention the rain? That doesn't change—"
"It's also strange that Mangey's fur is still brown." Tails turned, glaring at the tufts in the girl's hold. "When it's been exposed to the sun and rain for months."
Prim paled while Hangry looked between her and Tails in confusion.
The fox noticed and regarded Hangry. "Sunlight discolors paint, rain would wash it away, and you realized this, didn't you, Prim?"
The bat jolted as Tails turned to scrutinize her, his namesakes lashing behind him. "I wasn't sure until Gnarly hid how it was raining—" The echidna stepped back, nose twitching nervously— "But now I'm certain."
Tails' eyes grew big and round, his heart pounding.
"Mangey is alive, isn't he?"
Hangry gasped, whirling to Prim. Yet the bat was frozen while Gnarly's expression went blank and he stared straight through Tails. The fox gazed back, waiting.
Violet eyes sharpened. Then Tails was ducking as Gnarly's fist just missed his face.
However, the echidna swung again, expression determined even as Hangry cried, "Gnarly!"
Tails jumped back, his namesakes starting to spin. Pain shot down his spine. The fox inhaled sharply, grabbing at his wound and stumbling towards the platform edge.
A hand snatched Tails' wrists. His Miles Electric clattered to the floor while Gnarly lifted him high, Prim and Hangry watching stunned.
"He'll tell Blur!" Gnarly growled and Tails writhed, foot raising to kick him.
Heat flared across his spine and the fox went rigid, gritting his teeth. No, don't scream, Blur will hear and come running.
"He's with him and the monster." Gnarly spun around to Prim and gravity tugged painfully at Tails' injury, but he bit his tongue. "How else could he know so much?"
Prim shook off her shock to glare at the echidna. "If he's with the monster, what do you think she'll do if we take one of hers?"
Tails' eye twitched with pain, sweat beading his forehead, but he held in a scream to choke out, "I w-won't tell them."
Gnarly whirled back, eyes narrowing while Prim shot him a skeptical look. However, Tails' ears pulled back and his gaze became imploring.
"Blur and Thorn will just get mad if I tell them you found Mangey." Tails shook his head. "But it's not like they ever asked you about him, so it wouldn't be fair to let them blame you for everything."
The echidna scoffed and pointed his leafy mitt at his face. "You're just saying that so I let you go."
"No." Tails' eyes slanted down. "I'm saying it because I know you."
Gnarly recoiled as Tails peered sincerely at him.
"I know you're loyal, kind, and an amazing friend."
Tails smiled fondly because, despite the leaf hat shading Gnarly's face and paint streaking his fur, all he saw was Knuckles, steady, dependable, safe—a friend.
"So whatever happened to Mangey, I know you had his back like he had yours."
The echidna gaped. After a moment, his mouth closed and his forehead creased.
"H-how do you know that?"
Gnarly looked Tails up and down like the answer might be written on him, and frowned when he found none. However, Tails brightened, ears perking.
"Because we're friends." Gnarly blinked while Tails' face fell. "And I'm tired of watching my friends hurt each other."
Prim huffed, crossing her arms. "We're not the ones who decided to become monsters."
"You're right," Tails said calmly. "But you can be the ones to end the conflict."
Prim raised an eye. "What are you..."
She stopped. Her arms fell limp.
"Mangey..." she whispered.
Gnarly glanced at her. "What about Mangey?"
"All of you care about him," Tails rushed out, namesakes swishing eagerly. "Which means he's the common ground between you and Blur and Thorn, so if I tell them you're the reason he's alive—"
"Would they care?"
Tails started before they all turned to Hangry. The cat was frowning at the floor, crestfallen.
"I mean, we all thought Thorn was our friend, but then she…"
Tails' face grew sympathetic and he sighed, "I know it doesn't look like it, but Blur and Thorn miss you guys."
He turned to Prim, expression serious. "And I know behind all that hurt, you miss them too."
The bat frowned, turning away, but Gnarly met his stare. The echidna's expression became thoughtful, and though he hesitated, he sighed.
"Fine."
He released Tails. The fox dropped to his feet, grimacing as his wound prickled from the sudden loss of pressure.
"I'll tell you where Mangey is." Tails' head snapped up while guilt twisted Gnarly's expression. "But you have to understand, I only did what I did to protect—"
"Mangey!"
A blue sphere slammed into Gnarly. Tails gasped as the echidna tumbled across the floor and fell back on the platform edge. Blur landed over the wide-eyed echidna, growling in his face while pinning Gnarly's arms to the floor.
"No!" Tails ran to them as Prim and Hangry swiveled toward the hedgehog.
"Get off of him!" Prim demanded, tearing out her spear while Hangry hastily pulled out his slingshot and his fingers fumbled over a stone.
"Wait!" Tails skidded to a stop between them and Blur, raising his hands. "We—"
Prim tossed her spear and it soared past Tails towards the hedgehog's head.
A battle cry rose to the sky as Thorn sprung over Blur, her hammer raised. The mallet swung down on the spear and it splintered into pieces, showering the platform in wood chips while Thorn touched down beside Tails.
"M-monster!" Hangry turned his slingshot on the girl as Thorn straightened up.
However, Prim's gaze sharpened and she sneered. "Well, well." She crossed her arms while Thorn glared, her hammer raised defensively. "If it isn't the monsters of the forest."
"Monsters?" Thorn's eyes blazed. "You're the monsters!" She threw out her hand towards the trees. "Murdering the jungle wasn't enough for you, but you had to steal Mangey too!"
"Mine!" Blur snarled at the echidna.
Tails turned to the speedster, but froze as Hangry aimed his slingshot at him.
"You really are with Blur." Hangry's ears hung low, voice fraught with betrayal.
Yet Tails shook his head. "You don't understand—"
"Mangey isn't yours."
Tails whirled around and his eyes widened at seeing Gnarly glaring at Blur.
"And I didn't steal him!"
Blur huffed, but Gnarly growled, "He was dying!"
The speedster flinched while everyone tensed. However, Gnarly raised his head until he was nose-to-nose with Blur.
"Mangey couldn't stand, could barely eat—it took months for him to walk again!"
Blur's mouth parted while stunned horror spread across everyone's faces. However, fury blazed in Gnarly's eyes.
"He almost died because of you!"
Suddenly Gnarly's arms ripped free and his leafy mitts rammed into Blur's chest. The hedgehog choked. However, Tails was too stunned to do anything as Gnarly lurched up and shoved Blur back.
"Blur!" Thorn called in alarm as the hedgehog slammed into the tree holding up the platform.
And that was enough for Tails to shake off his shock and quickly go to the hedgehog. Blur slid down the bark, his eyes squeezed shut in pain, yet Tails caught Blur's arm before he could hit the ground.
"But I took care of him!"
Gnarly hopped to his feet, Prim and Hangry standing defensively at his sides. Thorn swiveled back to them, her quills bristling.
"We can take care of Mangey ourselves!" Thorn clenched her hand over her chest, defiance lining her jaw.
However, Prim smirked. "Really? So letting Mangey get poisoned was you caring for him?"
Thorn flinched, guilt flashing over her face. Blur's eyes snapped open. Tails yelped as the hedgehog tore away from him and shot up onto all fours, a growl rumbling from his throat while he glared at Gnarly.
However, the echidna glowered back at him. "Mangey helped us when we were starving." Blur's face twitched, but he continued glaring. "Yet you—you just watched."
"And for what?" Gnarly scoffed and threw his hands toward Thorn. "Some pretty face?"
Thorn huffed while Blur stomped his foot."Thorn mine. Not-Mangey mine. Mangey—"
"Isn't yours."
Gnarly straightened to his full height, crossing his arms while his expression cooled.
"Mangey is ours now."
Rage sparked in Blur's eyes, his muzzle warping into a fearsome snarl. Yet Tails couldn't move before Blur was a razor-sharp sphere racing at the echidna.
Hangry stumbled out of the way with a yell while Prim swiftly took to the air, reaching for Gnarly. However, wrath flared across the echidna's expression. Everyone gawked as the echidna yelled, charging the hedgehog with his fist pulling back while Blur launched up at him.
His fist struck whirling blue. Blur flew out of his curl, his green eyes more surprised than pained as he soared over the platform. However, he made no move to catch himself, and Tails noticed smoke wafting off Blur's hands while the hedgehog started descending toward the canopy.
"Hold on, Blur!"
Tails took flight and sped to the hedgehog. Thorn shouted something, but the fox couldn't hear her while his eyes slanted determinedly and his shoes brushed over the canopy leaves as Blur came into reach.
Pain wracked his spine. Tails inhaled sharply, his namesakes going rigid. Blur's head snapped towards him, expression concerned, yet he plunged into the forest, and it wasn't long before Tails fell after him.
Humidity swept over the fox while the sunlight vanished behind a curtain of leaves, the shadows twisting the branches into giant claws chasing him down. He twitched, trying to unfreeze his limbs, but then a twig jabbed his wound. The world went black, and when it returned, the dark forest floor was rushing to meet him.
"Tails!"
A boom cracked through the air. Arms hooked under Tails' head and knees. The fox grunted as they landed in a skid, the impact jarring his injury while dirt clouded around him.
Sonic's worried face breached through the wisps of dust he'd kicked up. Yet soon the hedgehog sighed in relief and his muzzle curved into a wry smile.
"I'm guessing the talk with the Scavengers didn't end well?" Sonic joked, though his gaze was sympathetic.
Tails' expression soured. Sonic settled him on the floor while anger sparked inside the fox.
"Actually," Tails said tightly, his ears turning as a shrub with sharp-edged leaves rustled behind Sonic. "It almost ended well."
The kit's eyes slid aside while Blur staggered out of the bush, dirt and twigs caught in his quills and expression dazed. Tails' face hardened.
"But somebody attacked the Scavengers."
Blur froze. The hedgehog looked up guiltily as Sonic grimaced, rubbing his head.
"Sorry," Sonic began. "I tried holding them back, but they freaked when you said Mangey was alive."
He glanced over to a darker section of the forest where torn vines swayed over a pile of mossy tree limbs.
"And Thorn's hammer really seems to like me," he sighed.
The kit's tails lowered, drumming the earth because Thorn and Blur had planned this, hadn't they? They were never going to follow Tails' advice. And Tails was a fool for trusting them to.
"You asked me to find Mangey." Both hedgehogs' eyes widened as Tails hissed, "But you know what? I'm glad you ruined any chance of finding him."
Blur winced, hunkering down with his ears curling low. "Mangey—"
"Might be better off with the Scavengers."
Blur jolted, shock and hurt bright on his face, but Tails scowled at the ground.
"Okaaay," Sonic looked between the two, "I'm guessing I missed something big."
Tails' eyes narrowed. "Mangey was sick, though it sounds like he recovered."
He raised his head to glare at Blur.
"And he never told you he was giving fruit to the Scavengers, did he?"
Blur turned away, frowning, and Tails' voice turned harsh. "Did you ever even ask Mangey how he felt about Thorn kicking out the Scavengers?"
Blur's expression pinched. "Mangey miss them."
"So Mangey missed the Scavengers, gave his food to them, and could have come back for a while now, yet hasn't." Tails' mouth drew to a line. "Don't you think it's possible Mangey isn't gone because Gnarly 'stole' him, but because he doesn't want to come back—"
"No."
Tails and Sonic started while Blur stared seriously at them.
"Mangey mine."
Tails scowled, turning away. "But maybe he doesn't want to be anymore."
"Tails?" Sonic asked, surprised.
However, Blur stomped his foot, huffing, "Mangey—"
He stopped. The confidence chipped off Blur's face, and Sonic glanced worriedly at him.
"Mangey…" Blur trailed off, eyes falling to the ground.
Sonic opened his mouth to speak, yet started as Tails walked away. Blur didn't look up, though he must have noticed, and Sonic frowned. However, Tails was quickly disappearing into the depths of the jungle, so despite the guilt pricking his heart, Sonic went after him.
"Tails?" he called, pushing aside two giant flowers and squinting against the shade.
He quickly spotted the fox walking up a log towards a grassy cliff. Sonic raced over to him, but inwardly winced at the kit's scowl while he slowed to match Tails' stride.
"I know where Mangey is," Tails said quietly as he hopped onto the cliff.
Sonic's mouth dropped. "What? How?" He threw out his hands. "I thought jungle-Knuckles didn't tell you."
"No." Tails smirked, face brightening while he glanced back. "But I started scanning for Gnarly's DNA once I suspected he had contact with Mangey and I found a location with a lot of it this way."
He pointed ahead, and Sonic beamed.
"Great work, buddy!"
He reached down and ruffled Tails' hair. The kit laughed and batted his hand away, joy crinkling his eyes because he'd missed Sonic's teasing. However, he remembered their situation and his smile dropped.
Sonic's smile fell as Tails turned aside, hunching into himself.
"But I meant what I said." Tails slowed to a stop. "I'm not sure Mangey wants to go back to Blur and Thorn, and if that's the case, I can't tell them where he is."
Sonic's expression grew serious. "Hey." He grabbed Tails' shoulder, and the kit looked up glumly. "If Mangey really feels that way, helping him stay hidden is the right thing to do."
Desperation twisted Tails' face. "But if I don't tell them where Mangey is, things are going to get even worse between them and the Scavengers."
The words rushed out, yet Tails couldn't stop them when he finally had someone listening.
"And if the fighting gets any worse, somebody is going to get seriously hurt! Or even…"
Tails stopped, not wanting to voice the possibility because that would make it too real. Sonic balked, though, quickly understanding.
"It's that bad?" Sonic asked in an aghast hush.
Tails looked away.
"When we first met, Thorn would have killed me if Blur hadn't stepped in."
Sonic paled, but the fox sighed, "Yet…"
He glanced back to where they left Blur. His brow furrowed.
"Neither of them really wants to hurt anyone." Tails shook his head. "Thorn might not be Amy, but she has her heart and Blur…" His tails twisted and untwisted nervously. "He's so much like you."
Sonic eyed him oddly, perhaps hearing the pain in his voice and recognizing that it had both hurt and soothed him to be trapped here with a hedgehog who was Sonic yet wasn't. However, Tails started walking again before his brother could question him.
"And I thought I could get Blur to bring everyone back together like you would." Tails swatted away a vine more harshly than he meant to, frustration kindling inside him. "But he doesn't want to upset Thorn and he's angry at the Scavengers for hurting her."
Tails glared at the ground.
"Then I thought showing them Gnarly saved Mangey would be enough to bring everyone together—"
"But my counterpart jumped the gun?" Sonic smiled. "Kinda like another hedgehog you know tends to do."
Tails smiled at Sonic's self-deprecating joke, but couldn't muster a laugh.
Sonic noticed and sighed, "I can see why you're frustrated, there's no easy solution here."
He hummed and set his hand under his chin, staring thoughtfully at the ground. Tails waited until Sonic let his hand drop and raised his head.
"Well, maybe you've been going about this the wrong way."
Tails blinked. "What do you mean?"
Sonic shrugged his hands. "You said you tried getting Blur to bring everyone together, but he's picked a side, which means he's biased."
He pointed at Tails. "You aren't. So why don't you try bringing everyone together?"
Tails jolted. "Me? But I can't—"
"So this is where you've been hiding."
The duo stiffened. They swiftly crouched low and shared a look before shuffling to the cliff ledge. Tails pushed aside a vine and poked his head past a fern, peering down. His eyes widened.
A viridian bush five times his height and as large as a soccer field gleamed under a window of sunshine breaching the canopy.
"Woah," Sonic exhaled while fresh air brushed over Tails and he squinted against the light.
"That's right."
Tails' eyes slid aside. Gnarly and Prim were down by the gigantic shrub, the bat staring at it in awe. Tails ducked lower and Sonic scooted back as the bat's gaze swept over their area before settling back on the shrub.
"The river's nearby," Prim noted, ears twitching. "You got a roof for the rain, but when it's sunny like this," she raised her hand, twirling it in the sunlight, "Fruit trees must have thrived here before the other groups picked them clean."
She lowered her hand and eyed the grim-faced echidna.
"So, why'd you move?"
"I met you and the others," Gnarly said, crossing his arms. "It was far from your homes…so I moved."
Prim's mouth curved into a smirk. "Aw, isn't that sweet—"
"And it did have a lot of fruit," Gnarly hurriedly said while pushing aside a curtain of vines hanging from the shrub's tan branches, revealing a dark opening in the bush. "Coconuts."
The echidna paused, face growing strained.
Prim sobered while he said, "It turned out I still had some stocked here when I found Mangey, but even with the food…" He shook his head. "I d-didn't think he was going to make it." His eyes implored hers. "That's the real reason I didn't tell you and Hangry about him."
Prim's expression pinched.
"If he was that bad off, how did he get better?"
"Don't know." Gnarly sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "He just started walking about a month ago."
Tails' breath hitched. Last month? Like when he poured the antidote into the river? He frowned thoughtfully. If Mangey drank from the river, his antidote must have flushed out all the poison lingering in his body.
"You should have told us."
Prim's mouth drew to a line, the face paint highlighting her narrowed eyes. Gnarly seemed to recognize the expression because he raised his hands, sweat breaking out across his forehead. He was stuttering a response when Prim's expression softened.
"We would have helped you take care of him."
Gnarly gasped. However, soon a smile crept over his muzzle, his tension fading.
"I think he'd like to hear that—gah!"
Tails inhaled sharply and Sonic's brow jumped up as yellow streaked out of the giant bush. Golden arms striped with honey-brown paint embraced the echidna's legs. Tails' eyes widened at the golden mohawk-styled hair fading into a rich blue, which peeked out from behind the echidna as the newcomer buried his face in Gnarly's shins.
"Is that…" Sonic trailed off, but Tails couldn't answer as the other fox pulled away from Gnarly and raised his head.
Mangey's sky blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight, an innocent smile curving his mouth while he chittered happily at the echidna. Tails' heart jumped up to his throat because that was his face and his tails flowing behind the other fox. And the sight of his looks on another person left him so breathless he had to grip the grass to stay upright.
Sharp yips pierced through Tails' shock. He blinked as Mangey scampered behind Gnarly and peeked fearfully over to a stunned Prim. Tails tensed as Gnarly turned and picked up the trembling kit.
"Aw, Mangey, she won't hurt you."
The fox yipped a disagreement before curling into a ball, his tails hiding his face. Prim's wings drooped, uncertainty twisting her expression. She opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it again, only to sigh.
"Mangey." Prim's face grew determined, and she waited until the fox lowered his tails just enough to reveal his fearful eyes before saying, "You thought I was angry at you for what Thorn did, didn't you?"
Mangey stared. Prim faltered and Gnarly sent her a sympathetic look.
"I thought so," she whispered, turning away. "But Mangey…"
Prim raised regretful eyes.
"You're my friend."
Mangey gasped, his eyes widening and tails lifting slowly. However, Prim smiled.
"You've proven that…" She turned aside, clutching her arm. "And I just hope you'll give me a chance to prove I'm your friend too."
Mangey's mouth fell open. Yet gradually, the kit's face brightened, his eyes glimmering like the sun.
"Aw, man," Sonic groaned exaggeratedly. "His begging eyes are like yours, but better."
Sonic tossed a cheesy grin his way, and Tails rolled his eyes, yet didn't snark back like he'd normally…because he'd gone a whole month without hearing Sonic's dumb jokes and he missed them.
The hedgehog's smile dimmed at his lack of a retort, and Tails looked away, not wanting to be questioned.
"Hey!"
Tails and Sonic looked down. Mangey was sniffing Gnarly, his nose pushing intently into his chest. What was he do—
"Blur?" Mangey rasped, a stunned expression frozen on his face.
Tails' eyes widened while Prim tensed and Gnarly flinched.
"Oh." Gnarly looked aside nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "We saw Blur a little while—"
Mangey sprung out of his arms. Prim gasped as he made a beeline for the trees.
"Mangey!" Gnarly called in alarm, giving chase with Prim not far behind.
Tails' breath hitched, eyes widening at the desperation twisting Mangey's face. Mangey was trying to get back to Blur, would do anything to get back to him. Blur was right.
Mangey stumbled and pitched onto his head with a yelp. Tails winced, but the fox scrambled back up and continued sprinting towards the forest edge.
"Stop!" Prim called, soaring in front of him.
The fox ran around her. However, Gnarly ran up beside him, reaching for his back. Mangey's tails lashed out at Gnarly's arm. The echidna hissed, recoiling while Mangey kept running.
The kit was almost there, the trees coming into his grasp. Mangey's hand suddenly collapsed beneath him. Mangey cried out while he tumbled down hard.
"Mangey!" Prim landed beside the collapsed fox. "Are you okay?"
Mangey shakily climbed to all fours, panting while Gnarly skidded to a stop over him.
"B-Blur…" the kit exhaled between haggard breaths, and Tails' heart clenched.
All these months…Mangey had missed Blur as much as Blur had missed him.
"Oh, kid." Gnarly gazed sadly at the fox while Prim's eyes drew down. "It's not safe for you to go back to Blur, remember?"
Mangey's ears twitched, but he didn't turn away from the trees two feet away.
"He's right," Prim said. "Especially now that those monsters know you gave us fruit." Her face hardened. "They might seriously hurt you."
Mangey's fingers arched into the dirt. Gnarly and Prim gasped as Mangey slowly dragged himself toward the trees. Mangey clawed the earth again, dragging himself until he was about to cross into the forest edge.
Mangey's hand went limp, flopping onto the ground. Mangey whined as he collapsed, his eyes glistening.
Tails turned away, unable to watch anymore, and found Sonic staring hard at his counterpart.
"I think we've seen enough," Sonic said tightly.
Tails nodded.
"We have to get Mangey back to—"
Wind blasted beside him. Tails stared at the empty space where Sonic had been. His expression went flat. Well, should have seen that coming.
"Sorry, guys!"
Tails' ears shot up and he whirled around. Sonic stood before a gawking Gnarly and Prim, Mangey wide-eyed in his arms.
"But we have a family reunion to get to and guess what? You're not invited!"
Sonic grinned like his joke deserved an award and this—this was what Tails had missed? The jungle heat must have made him delusional!
Still, Tails just groaned and took to the air, soaring down to them.
"Blur!?" Gnarly paled. "H-how did you find us?"
Sonic went to respond, but Prim's eyes fell on Sonic's shoes as Tails landed beside him.
"He's not Blur." Her expression turned calculative. "His shoes are like the kid's."
Prim's face hardened and her wings fanned out behind her while she tore out a spear.
"Just who are you?" she demanded.
Gnarly glared, bumping his fists together, and Tails tensed because he wasn't in any condition to fight, but he could still help Sonic.
"Me?" Sonic smirked, and Tails yelped as he was suddenly tossed over Sonic's shoulder. "I'm Sonic the Hedgehog, and we are—" His eyes darted up— "Out of here!"
Sonic blasted up the tree behind them, quickly gaining altitude so the ground became a distant shadow. Yet Tails' eyes widened as Prim soared after them, raising her spear.
"Look out!" Tails warned.
Sonic swiftly sped aside and the spear stabbed the branch beside them, its leaves drifting off. However, the hedgehog kept running, though he stumbled once and narrowly dodged three branches.
Tails' head was spinning from his rapid movements when suddenly they launched into open air. Wind ran over Tails until Sonic touched down on a bare canopy branch and skidded to a stop.
"Tails," Sonic said, setting him down. "We can—ow!"
Tails' eyes widened as Mangey sunk his teeth into Sonic's arm and the hedgehog instinctively let him go. Mangey dropped onto the bark and scrambled back to the end of the branch.
"Not Blur! Not Blur!" Mangey growled.
Sonic's brow furrowed and he released his hurt arm. However, Tails' expression grew sympathetic.
"You just want to go home, don't you?"
Mangey's face twitched, but he bared his teeth, and his tails raised high in warning.
"I know it's weird that I look like you." Tails gestured back at Sonic. "And that he looks like Blur, but we just want to take you home and put an end to all this fighting."
Mangey's eyes grew big, his growl fading away and tails lowering. Uncertainty twisted Mangey's face. However, Tails smiled and offered him his hand.
"I can take you to—"
A shriek sliced across the sky. Tails' head snapped up as a shadow fell over them.
The fox gaped at the massive wings above them, whispering, "Birdie?"
The giant avian folded in its wings and dove at them. An arm snagged around Tails' middle and Mangey yelped as he was tossed over Sonic's shoulder. Then they were falling to a lower branch, Tails inhaling sharply as talons swiped over their heads and his hair rustled in the breeze.
Sonic touched down and sped down the spindly tree limb. Yet he slowed to leap over an arched vine and stumbled a bit on a dip in the bark.
Another cry split the air—too close—and Tails looked at Sonic, frantically saying, "Get into the jungle! We're exposed out—"
Birdie rammed into Sonic's side. Tails' yell merged with the others as he was thrown into the air. A cry warbled beside Tails and he twisted around to see Mangey flailing.
Tails quickly reached out and caught Mangey's hand. "Hold on!"
Mangey's only response was a scream as they dropped through a hole in the canopy. Yet Tails' namesakes spun and he soared up, pulling Mangey into his arms.
His counterpart went silent and tense in his hold. However, Mangey relaxed as an awed exhale left him. Tails smiled while Mangey looked back at his spinning tails, his eyes big.
"You can do it too," Tails said, gliding down to the clearing.
Mangey's head turned to him so fast, his blue-tipped hair batted Tails' nose, and Tails laughed at his counterpart's disbelieving stare.
"Really, you can," Tails assured while passing a patch of tall grass.
"I'll show you how," he said, his tone becoming absentminded as he glanced around. "As soon as we find…Sonic…"
Tails trailed off. His face went blank.
"We don't want to hurt you," Gnarly said seriously from a ledge five feet above, his hands curling into fists.
Hangry was beside him, expression reluctant though his slingshot was aimed at Tails.
"Just give us Mangey and you can go."
Tails' mouth drew to a line. Slowly, he glided back. Wings batted overhead. Tails' breath hitched and he froze.
Though soon the fox's gaze hardened and he didn't look up as he said, "Prim, guys, you can't force Mangey to stay with you."
"It's for his own good," Gnarly growled. "Those monsters are worse than the trees!" He threw out his hands towards the forest. "It won't be long before they turn their back on him like they did to us!"
Tails' face fell. "You have a right to be angry but—"
"Right to be angry?"
Tails gasped. He whirled around.
Thorn's eyes flashed with rage as she emerged out of the tall grass. "The only one with a right to be angry." Her hands clenched around her hammer, face paint highlighting her snarl. "Is us!"
Blur walked out of the grass and pushed himself onto his feet. His face paint was gone though, and his expression strangely subdued as his eyes found Mangey's.
"Blur!" Mangey squirmed out of Tails' hold and dropped to the ground.
"Wait!" Tails shot in front of Mangey, holding up his hand.
Mangey reeled back, blinking in shock.
"Look." Tails stared over Mangey's head, and the kit followed his gaze.
Prim hovered between Hangry and Gnarly, resignation weighing down their expressions.
"If you go back to Blur, you won't be their friend anymore."
Mangey whirled to Tails, distressed sound leaving him.
"Mangey?"
The fox whipped around to Thorn. The girl stepped up beside Blur, her hammer dragging behind while her face fell.
"You were poisoned because of me." Thorn's voice cracked, eyes shimmering. "And I'm so sorry, Mangey." Her face grew determined. "But I promise we'll never let something like that happen again."
Mangey stared at her, his tails swishing anxiously. However, Tails dropped down between them.
"Well?" Mangey's wide eyes met Tails' as he asked, "Are you going back to Thorn and Blur?" His face hardened. "Are Prim and the others going to be your enemies?"
Mangey shook his head, but stopped and glanced between the two groups.
"Well?" Tails repeated, and Mangey whimpered as he kept looking between the two sides in mounting distress.
Mangey's fur fluffed up, his eyes growing frantic, and worry flashed on Blur's face. The hedgehog went to reach for Mangey, but Tails sent him a sharp look, and Blur stopped.
"Want…want..." Mangey's ears folded back, his eyes growing big. Slowly, a sheen came over his sky blue irises and Tails forced his expression to remain neutral as the kit threw back his head.
Mangey wailed. Everyone froze as tears flooded Mangey's face and the kit collapsed, grabbing his head while his eyes squeezed shut.
"M-Mangey…?" Hangry whispered, lowering his slingshot in shock.
Yet Mangey didn't hear him while a sob stuttered out of his chest and he buried his face in his hands. Blur looked stricken, the others no better. However, Tails glared at the ground as his counterpart cried painfully loud.
"You did this," Tails whispered.
Everyone turned to Tails as he looked up. Exhaustion weighed down the fur on Tails' muzzle.
"All of you did this."
The ground flinched while Tails swallowed the lump in his own throat and Mangey sniffled.
"Thorn."
The girl's head snapped Tails' way, her eyes huge.
"The Scavengers were killing the forest, and you were right to be mad that they were destroying nature."
Tails' gaze sharpened. "But attacking them without warning?" Thorn flinched. "They're your friends. If you'd just talked to them, they would have listened."
Thorn's head bowed while Tails turned to the Scavengers.
"But friends also don't assume the worst about each other."
His eyes burned into Prim's. Guilt twisted the bat's face, her wings hanging low as the Scavengers looked away in shame.
"And they shouldn't just stand by." Tails looked at Blur. "When their friends need their help."
Blur wilted and Tails sighed.
"That's what you wanted to tell everyone." Tails' voice gentled. "Right, Mangey?"
He looked down as Mangey's crying stopped. Mangey sniffled and lifted his tear-streaked face.
"Want…f-fri…ends," Mangey rasped, looking around the group.
Tails was surprised by the speech, but then footsteps crunched on the leaves beside him.
"I'm sorry."
Tails turned to see Blur staring at the stunned Scavengers, sorrow deep in his gaze. "I…hurt my friends."
He glanced at Mangey before turning to Tails.
"I'm sorry."
Tails' eyes widened, but then Thorn came up beside Blur. The hedgehogs regarded one another.
"Oh, Blur." Thorn's expression pinched. "It wasn't just Tails trying to tell me to stop, was it?"
Blur frowned but didn't disagree. Heartbreak rippled through Thorn's face.
"You never stopped telling me things," she whispered, eyes widening. "I...I just stopped listening."
She looked over to the Scavengers.
"I pushed you all away, I even sent Birdie away to keep others out of the jungle a-and Mangey almost died!" Her words spilled in a rush, horror thrumming through her. "Now even Blur's hurt and you're all—"
"No."
Thorn's teary eyes met Prim's as the bat landed behind Mangey.
"We were hurting you every time we hurt the jungle." Prim's jaw clenched. "And we never even noticed. We should have noticed," she hissed, looking away.
"We're sorry," Hangry said, coming beside Prim while Gnarly trudged to her other side.
The echidna looked regretfully at Blur.
"I should have told you Mangey was alive." Gnarly glanced at Mangey. "And I never should have kept you apart." He sighed. "I only made things worse."
Mangey frowned. Then he pushed himself onto his feet and Gnarly blinked as Mangey grabbed his mitt in his hands.
"Friends." Mangey beamed and Gnarly's mouth dropped.
However, Tails smiled. "He never stopped viewing you as a friend." His face softened. "He just missed his other friends too."
Mangey nodded and let Gnarly go.
"Mangey."
The fox turned to Blur. He stiffened while Blur's eyes shimmered. "Mangey—"
Mangey tackled Blur and they fell back into the grass.
"Blur! Blur!" Mangey cried, his tears renewing though he smiled brilliantly as he squeezed Blur tight.
The hedgehog beamed, chest shaking with laughter. "Mangey! Mangey!"
Blur's smile wobbled, his hands trembling as he hugged the kit. Gently, he rubbed the side of his muzzle against Mangey's head and the kit melted in his hold.
A screech echoed over the canopy. Everyone looked up, Thorn's eyes widening.
"Birdie?" she whispered.
"You might have pushed away your friends." Tails grinned. "But I don't think they ever went too far."
Thorn's face eased into a hopeful grin and Tails sighed as somewhere above Birdie soared among the clouds.
"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.
Don't worry, there is an epilogue after this 😉 Though this is technically the ending, so I hope everyone enjoyed it because I certainly loved writing it! Also, thanks so much for commenting, it's always a joy to hear what you have to say 😊
Feel free to comment again below and have an amazing day!
